Fountain38

My buddy aquired a 302 Baja that was thief recovered. It had 454 mags with bravos. He got the boat without engines or outdrives.

My Question is this-- He has a pair of marine small blocks with TRS outdrives that are out of another salvage boat. What would the outcome be if he installs those engines and outdrives into the Baja? The engines will have about about 525hp each. Will the small engines work and make the boat perform as well as the 385 mags.

If not is he wasting his time. He has all of the pieces to make it work, whereas if he replaced the engines and outdrives with Bravos, he would spend alot more.

Biggus

iTrader: (1)

IMHO, It would be way too much work to install the TRS/small block package. Just for starters, the motors would have to be mounted close to a foot forward because of the transmission needed to run a TRS drive. The 302 was never designed for that configuration. Also, the transom cut out would be totally different, Bravo and TRS are two entirely different animals. The TRS is much larger than a Bravo transom cut out. He would also need to install thru-hull water pick ups because the TRS drive does not have a water pick up built in. ( no water passes through a TRS drive)

Fountain38

we measured the engine compartment and found that thestringers in the boat and mounting beam are within 1 inch of each other the compartment is the same measurement as the imp that the assys came out of .i have both boats side by side and you are right that the water pickup is in the hull of the imp, this boat was a specail order one of a kind ,when most were only single engines, if i could get them to fit would i lose the performance because of them being small block 407 cubic inch. i have asked many people about the trs outdrives and they are saying they are tough heavyduty compaired to brovo one that brake always, is this so.

wwwTOPDJcom

sell the trs and the transmissions
and get a couple Bravo's they will last fine behind
small blocks. it will be a much easier to install
seeing there was bravo's there before

Payton

If you have room for the transmissions. I would look into Pulse Drives. You'll have much better reliability that either a Bravo or TRS. The instalation seems pretty simple. And you'll have a way cool rooster tail.
I've riden in a single engine 31' Infinity with a PSI drive. It was very cool. Twins in a 30 Baja would be even better.

Ran-Dom 32

Resale on the Baja w/TRS drives will be terrible, who going to want a '97 Boat equipped w/old style equipment? Not me

SSComp

You could probably get some good used 454/502 mags and bravo drives for under 10k if you keep your eyes on the parts for sales section. Just drop in and bolt up and go...

You probably could sell the trs assemblies and transmissions for 4-5k for the set.

Resale will more than make up for the difference. NOBODY wants a 97 with TRS and small blocks.

Fountain38

Thats been my thoughts also but he thinks that he can make the small blocks work. I say he wasting his time but he has all of these parts and he has the boat for pratically nothing. He is an excellent mechanic, and I know he can put his together, but will he have anything when he gets it put together???? that is the big question I appreciate everyones help